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Ashley C.
Traveler
TravelerOn The Beach RV Park
Great customer service
Very helpful staff, very close to beach, view from windows of water
Camping near Austwell, TX
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Campgrounds in the Austwell, Texas area provide access to both coastal and wooded environments along the Gulf Coast. Goose Island State Park serves as a central camping option with both bayfront and wooded camping areas offering water and electric hookups. The region includes established RV resorts like Texas Lakeside RV Resort in nearby Port Lavaca and free beach camping at Magnolia Beach. Most campgrounds accommodate both tent and RV camping, with some locations like Bay View RV Resort and Circle W RV Ranch also offering cabin rentals for those seeking additional comfort.
Access to camping areas remains consistent year-round with most campgrounds operating through all seasons. The Gulf Coast location means campers should prepare for high humidity, particularly during summer months, when mosquitoes can be problematic near wetland areas. Cell service varies significantly between camping areas, with better coverage typically found at waterfront sites compared to wooded areas. Most established campgrounds provide water and electric hookups, while some offer full sewer connections suitable for extended RV stays. One visitor noted: "We stayed in the wooded area. I didn't think I would like it (I loved the waterfront sites) but I loved it. The sites are a good distance apart and have new paved driveways that are very level."
Camping experiences vary between waterfront and wooded settings, with each offering distinct advantages. Bayfront sites in Goose Island State Park provide excellent fishing access and wildlife viewing opportunities, including dolphin sightings and birding. Several campers mentioned seeing whooping cranes and other shore birds during winter months. Wooded camping areas provide more privacy and shelter, though they may have limitations for larger RVs due to low-hanging branches and tighter spaces. Noise can be a consideration at waterfront sites, as one camper noted: "The air boats. There are 3-5 different ones that come in and out ALL day every day starting around 6:30am. They are so loud they vibrate the campers." For visitors seeking quiet natural settings, the wooded areas of Goose Island State Park offer greater seclusion than the more exposed bayfront camping zones.
Best Campgrounds near Austwell (128)
1. Goose Island State Park Campground
"The wooded area camping loops wind through lovely groves of Texas Live Oak, and Loblolly Pine, which make great habitat for winter warblers."
"I visit a lot of the state parks in Texas. Goose Island is a good one. It's a great area for fishing because it's really close to rockport."
from $10 - $75 / night
Check Availability2. Magnolia Beach
"You camp right next to the water and can listen to the (gentle) waves all day and night. The beach is really level. There are garbage cans, showers, and pavilions with bbqs."
"There is a large inland estuary for birding and an elevated walk way with an observation deck leading into it."
3. Magnolia Beach RV Park
"The beach is just a short walk away, and my wife and kids really enjoyed our morning walks. Free Wi-Fi was a plus too. Great place! 👍👍👍"
"Nice beach, store, tavern, and marina nearby."
from $40 - $45 / night
Check Availability5. Austwell City Park
6. Bay View RV Resort
"Located just a short drive from Rockport Beach, this park is a clean, affordable, and convenient coastal base. We’ll definitely be back!"
"It's a little out of the way, but still within an easy drive of Port Aransas, Corpus Christi and all of the barrier islands. Granted, the park is shabby-chic, and a little short on chic."
from $30 - $55 / night
Check Availability7. Beacon 7 RV Park
8. Wilderness Oaks RV Resort
"We wanted to give a shout out, to Wilderness Oaks RV Resort in Rockport Texas. First off, the management is amazing."
9. Captains Quarters
10. Nuestro Ranchito RV Park and Dump Station
from $25 / night
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Drive Time
- 40 min from Victoria, TX
- 1 hr 10 min from Corpus Christi, TX
- 2 hrs 16 min from Houston, TX
- 2 hrs 18 min from San Antonio, TX
Recent Camping Photos near Austwell, TX
31 Photos of 128 Austwell Campgrounds
Deborah C.
Goose Island State Park Campground
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Pelican's Post RV Park
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Magnolia Beach
Traci K.
Bay View RV Resort
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Rockport RV Park
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Wilderness Oaks RV Resort
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Coleto Creek Reservoir and Park Guadalupe-Blanco River Auth
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KOA Port Lavaca Matagorda Bay
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Silver Oaks RV Park
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Jacales Camping Area — Goliad State Park
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Recent Reviews near Austwell, TX
314 Reviews of 128 Austwell Campgrounds
- BBarbie L.
ScoutBay View RV Resort
Perfect Family Getaway! Great Staff & Location
Our family had an amazing stay at Bay View RV Resort! The friendly staff made us feel incredibly welcome from the moment we arrived. We rented a clean, comfortable park model and a cottage, giving us the perfect mix of togetherness and personal space. The kids loved the large pool and the quick car ferry ride over to Port Aransas Beach. Located just a short drive from Rockport Beach, this park is a clean, affordable, and convenient coastal base. We’ll definitely be back!
- JJames P.Traveler
Goose Island State Park Campground
Goose Island State Park
It was cold & windy when first arrived ahead of the ice storm so tucked into the wooded area where brush & trees helped block the really cold north winds the first couple of days. Then moved over to the beach waterfront site at the west end and it was very nice picnic shelter & table close to the restrooms. Clean park & restrooms, great views of the Gulf of America and great for bird watching, biking & enjoying the peaceful nature. Friendly and helpful staff.
Ramon H.ScoutSunrise on Mag RV Park
Easy access | Awesome views
Great place to stay. I rented one of the RV spots for a few of days, while my friends booked one of their vintage RVs. We had a blast, we fished right in front of the place and on the public pier steps away from the site. We made a camp fire, s'mores, the views of the stars was amazing too. Easy to park the RV, 100 ft from the water, 50 Amps connection, water spigot, septic, WiFi and trash. Beautiful views, friendly people, cool vibe. Highly recommend!
- rrobert K.
GuidePort Aransas Permit Beach
Beach camping at its best
We were looking for beach camping without the worry of getting stuck or having enough room for our rig (72’ RV+Stacker)This place did not disappoint . Plenty of room hard pack and Beautiful . We purchased our permit at Circle-K $12. For a yr beach permit well worth it $500. Fine without. Easy access on and off from E ave G. Enjoyed the sounds of waves, sea breeze and occasional . thunderstorms. This place gets busy with beach goers and traffic lots of golf carts that you can rent. We will definitely be back .
Vahste (.GuideMagnolia Beach
Plenty of space. Good amenities and overall enjoyable.
Great county park right on the water with plenty of space for RVs, Car Camping, etc. tons of trash cans, public toilets and showers, grills at permanent shade structures, and a basketball court.
Shawn S.
LegendGulf Waters Beach Front RV Resort
Amazing
We only had 1 night here, but oh my goodness! If I had the bucks, I'd spend the whole winter here. The amenities are fabulous, people friendly, spots top notch, pool heated and luxurious, and in a great location.
- Shawn S.Legend
Goose Island State Park Campground
Ocean view
We loved the views, birding, amenities, space, and vibe of the campground. We stayed in the primative area. The trees were a bit low coming in, but if you take it slow and drive more towards the center of the incoming road you are fine with high clearance rvs. It is a bird watchers paradise.
Jeanne A.ScoutWilderness Oaks RV Resort
Friendly, helpful, delightful folks and lovely Park
We wanted to give a shout out, to Wilderness Oaks RV Resort in Rockport Texas. First off, the management is amazing. Courteous, informative, helpful and always bright and cheerful, makes dealing with them a enjoyable. If you have any issues such as mechanical or personal, they got your back! Their love of animals shows cuz they always have cookies for your pup no matter where in the resort they run across you! Our dog Pandy, a 170 pound Newfoundland lady, is treated like a Diva and she responds accordingly with affection to anyone in the crew to the point she drags my hubby to get to them haha. They have lots that will fit various sized RV’s including behemoths and they have storage area to park extra vehicles or trailers and it’s a reasonable monthly fee. This RV Resort is a well-established business and the maintenance crew work nonstop to keep this place tidy. You can tell its appreciated because so many snowbirds have been retuning for years, and others leave their rigs year around! They let you have porches built for your RV if you’re tired of using you’re built in stairs, you can have plants and flowers and hummingbird feeders even! The Deer walk right through the park, unafraid and we see them mornings and evenings EVERY DAY! Their laundry room is huge, and the gym is great, as well as the fabulous salt water pool! The community hall has tons of events everyday including pot lucks now and then and craft fairs as well as games of all kinds. The facilities are immaculate, showers, bathrooms everything is well presented and their cleaning crew does a excellent job. Bill the manager actually held a incredible luau this winter, cooked a whole pig for it and tons other foods were provided as well as people pot lucked it too.. it was flat out delicious!! As far as accommodations for disabilities of different flavors this place tries to meet all standards and I was in a wheel chair for the first 2 years we came and NEVER felt unable to do whatever I wished or go wherever I wanted here, the paved areas and ramps to the office are perfect. Everyone is so sweet and tries so hard to be accommodating, I feel like this is a second family now. I spent 2 weeks hospitalized with pneumonia and this place jumped in to help Randy deal with the dog so he didn’t have to worry about her, everyone offered to take turns looking after her every day while he traveled half hour twice a day and stayed for 2 or 3 hours with me at the hospital. Even the regular’s in the park offered their help! We feel blessed. Randy, Jeanne and Pandy
Guide to Austwell
Camping spots near Austwell, Texas center around the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, where the coastal prairie meets the Gulf wetlands at just 15 feet above sea level. The area maintains moderate winter temperatures around 50-70°F, making it popular with winter visitors seeking wildlife viewing opportunities. Cell service varies significantly between inland and coastal camping areas, with most reliable connections found at established RV parks.
What to do
Birding tours: Year-round opportunities with exceptional winter viewing at Goose Island State Park Campground. "Wish I would have come better prepared to fish. Did see a Whooping Crane. Stayed on the bay side," notes one visitor. The park provides excellent access to view endangered whooping cranes from November through March.
Fishing: Multiple access points throughout the coastal areas. A reviewer at Goose Island mentioned it's a "Good fishing spot. Water at primitive sites, separate from RV area." The fishing pier provides convenient access for those without boats.
Beach activities: Shell collecting along the shoreline at Magnolia Beach. "This is a BEAUTIFUL beach! You camp right next to the water and can listen to the (gentle) waves all day and night. The beach is really level," writes one camper. The crushed shell composition makes it unique for beachcombing but requires footwear.
What campers like
Privacy in wooded camping areas: The wooded sections of Goose Island State Park receive consistent praise. "We really enjoyed staying in the wooded area of the park. Most spaces are very private because of the thick plant life," reports one visitor. Sites on outer loops accommodate larger vehicles better.
Free beach camping options: Magnolia Beach offers no-cost camping directly on the water. "Drive through the small village into an unassuming beachside residential neighborhood and out onto the beach itself, where there is room to park nearly 100 RV's," explains one camper. The 14-day stay limit helps manage overcrowding.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Natural areas support diverse wildlife. "Lots of birds, deer, and fishing. I see attraction of the beach front, but the wooded area is really nice with private sites, camp for grills, tables and trees for shade," notes a camper at Goose Island State Park.
What you should know
Beach composition: Magnolia Beach consists primarily of shells rather than sand. "The sand is mostly varying sizes of crushed shell so careful walking barefoot," warns one camper. Water shoes are recommended for swimming and wading.
Noise considerations: Air boat traffic affects waterfront campers. "The air boats run all day on the weekends and are loud. Watch out for low tree branches if you're staying in the wooded areas," notes one reviewer. Wooded sites offer better noise insulation than bayfront locations.
Seasonal crowds: Winter months bring increased occupancy with "Winter Texans" (seasonal visitors). Some parks like Circle W RV Ranch experience significant seasonal population shifts. Reservations become essential from December through March.
Tips for camping with families
Choose sites strategically: For larger families, wooded camping areas provide more privacy. "If you're staying in the wooden area, stay on the outer loop if you're a big rig," advises a visitor to Goose Island State Park, noting the interior loops have tighter spaces and lower branches.
Water safety awareness: Texas Lakeside RV Resort offers controlled swimming environments. "Wintered here Jan, Feb, and Mar 2025. Spend a little more and get a water front site. Concrete pads, nice FHU stations. Large clubhouse. Two shower and laundry facilities," shares one visitor. The pool provides safer swimming than open Gulf waters.
Budget-friendly options: Free camping at Magnolia Beach allows longer stays for cost-conscious families. "A mix of folks RV, car, tent camping! Some folks are definitely here for a long time," notes one reviewer. Basic amenities include pavilions with tables and garbage collection.
Tips from RVers
Size restrictions in wooded areas: Large rigs face challenges in some sections. "While there are some low branches- I was able to carefully maneuver into #125 with my tall fifth wheel. But it was close," warns one RVer at Goose Island State Park.
Utility considerations: Nuestro Ranchito RV Park and Dump Station provides essential services. "Friendly family owned rv park with rv dump station. Full hookups available. $25 per night or $450 per month," states a reviewer. The dump station remains accessible even for non-guests.
Connection reliability: Mobile internet varies significantly between locations. "I have T-Mobile, and the cell service at Goose Island was great. 5G was great. Also, the digital TV signal was excellent," reports one RV camper. Signal strength generally decreases in wooded camping areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Austwell, TX?
What camping is available near Austwell, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, Austwell, TX offers a wide range of camping options, with 128 campgrounds and RV parks near Austwell, TX and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Austwell, TX?
Which is the most popular campground near Austwell, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Austwell, TX is Goose Island State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 34 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Austwell, TX?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Austwell, TX?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Austwell, TX.
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